MARIA
Romania, 2003, 97 minutes, Colour.
Diana Dumbrava, Serban Ionescu.
Directed by Calin Peter Netzer.
Maria is a grim piece of Romanian life in the aftermath of the fall of communism.
It is based on a true story, the action taking place in 1995, the initial years of the new Romania. However, the picture is bleak, with a family trying to subsist on virtually no income. The family has seven children and the mother, Maria, is hard-pressed to look after them as well as to communicate with them. Her husband loses his job at the factory. His best friend decides to service women truck drivers who pass through Bucharest. This introduces the theme of prostitution. As Maria tries to cope, her husband gambles away their small savings and rapes her in the home corridor. When she reports this to the police, they can offer no help unless he is caught in the act.
The film is rambling, a succession of anecdotes about Maria – but this makes her decision to go into prostitution even more shocking. She is idealised at the beginning of the film, filmed almost like a Madonna. When she goes on the streets, the other prostitutes mock her. However, after an arrest, there is a sense of solidarity between the women who have to survive by this work.
There is a subplot about social protests, a Direct TV crew who photograph people receiving charity, follow Maria at a rally and then decide to film her story for the television audiences. This shames her with her children who are taunted by parents and children at school. Ultimately, she accepts the help from the television – only to die in an accident as a leering producer wants her to perform sexually for him.
There is very little hope in the film. When Maria accepts material help, there is no indication that there is any kind of moral or social help that would enable her to be reunited with her family and bring them up well. In this way the film is an indictment of post-communist society. The film won several awards at the Locarno Film Festival.
1.A Romanian slice of life? The mid-90s? The 90s seen in the retrospect of the transformation of Romania?
2.The themes, characters and universal appeal? Or too particularly Romanian?
3.The Bucharest settings, houses, hotels, the truck stops? The atmosphere of poverty? Factories and loss of work? The musical score?
4.The title, the focus on Maria? The significance of her name? Her being lit and filmed as a Madonna figure? The transformation into a Magdalene figure?
5.Maria as a person, in the park with her children, pregnant, her relationship with the children, Nicholas and his being cheeky? Giving birth? Seven children, at home, trying to cope? The poverty, lack of food? Maria as a manager?
6.The contrast with the father, his work at the balloon factory, the speech and the dismissal of the workers, the high-handed manner, the security men, the workers being ousted, the two boxes of balloons? Urging them to sell them at the fair? His drinking, his gambling, his taking the money, wasting it, thinking he would win? His time in prison? On the roof of the hotel, demanding to play, continually losing? His violent temperament? His relationship with the men, his fellow workers, his friend?
7.Maria, her refusal to give the money to her husband, the confrontations, the violent abuse, the children witnessing this? Her husband demanding the money, raping her in the corridor? Her going to the charity, the priest and his talking about poverty and the suffering of Jesus? Giving the food? Being filmed by the Direct TV? Her distributing the food, trying to communicate, Nicholas and his sense of fun, cheeky? The older daughter?
8.The picture of the men, drinking, gambling? The friend and his discussion about sex, servicing the women at the truck stop? The big Dutch woman, her exuberance, ribald sense of humour? His refusing to go with the other women, his reputation? The Dutch woman and her return? His getting the money? The husband and his not following that path? The gambling, the police? His rivals at gambling? Deciding to disappear, going away with his friend, the luxury night in the hotel?
9.Maria going to the police, her complaint, the police not able to help her?
10.Maria and the prostitutes, the possibility of getting some money, her desperation, her motivation? Going to the truck stop? Her daughter’s reaction? The effect on the children, people calling their mother a whore? Bringing clients to the house? The clients coming to the door? Going out with them? Her being with the women, their initial reaction? Their accepting her? Her going shopping with the money, bringing the goods home, happiness giving the food and planning what they could buy? The man wanting to buy her daughter?
11.The man from Turkey, his friendship with Maria, as a friend, talking, his own life, bringing the gifts for the children, their refusal? Going out with Maria – and her breaking off with him?
12.The arrest, running away, in the police station? The officer and his kindly attitude towards Maria, wanting to help? Inviting her to be filmed by the Direct TV?
13.Direct TV, the personalities, intrusive, at the political demonstration, spying on Maria getting the charity? The interview with her, following her around, her story?
14.Maria agreeing, the children’s reaction, their being taunted at school, their shame? Her daughter dressing up and imitating her mother? Maria watching the TV on the street, the significance of watching it through the bars?
15.The ending, Maria and her being taken to the station, the promise of material goods? The driver and his sexual provocation – the crash?
16.A film of Romania, of eastern Europe, of poverty, of women and their hardships, of dignity and the loss of dignity, of sexuality, reputation, hard dilemmas an choices? Material help only – and the need for spiritual and social help? A film of hope – no hope or redemption?
